Miner s pick



No; 623,025. Patented Apr. II, 1899.

' .1. B. LUCAS.

MINEBS PICK.

(Application filed July 13, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WWI/[ ,111

WITNESSES IN VENTOR' J'amesBiL ucas.

I We M Allorneysfi so that it maybe removed when dull orbroken employedby miners and stoneworkers, which 'NIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BENNETT LUCAS, OF VALLEY SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA.

MINERS PICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,025, dated April11, 1899.

Application filed July 13,1898- Serial No. 685,854. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it nay concern:

' Be it known that 1, JAMES BENNETT LUCAS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Valley Springs, in the county of Calaveras and Stateof California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMiners Picks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in picks, and particularly to theclass of picks embody a socket-piece, a removable handle, and a bladedetachabl y secured to the socket,

and another blade substituted therefor.

The object of my invention is to provide a pick of this character whichis comparatively inexpensive in construction, strong and durable, andembodies an improved form of socket and simple and effective means forsecuring the blade thereto, whereby the use of wedges, keys, andanalogous fastening devices, which are liable to become detached, lost,or misplaced, is avoided.

A further object is to provide a socket in which the handle is adaptedto be inserted in a novel manner and securedwithout splitting orotherwise weakening the butt-end thereof and employing extraneousfastening means.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will behereinafter more fully, described and spe cifically set forth in theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is afragmentary side elevational view of myimproved pick. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevationalview.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, A represents the helve or handle of the pick, and B thehead or socket piece thereof. This socketpiece is approximately ofelliptical form, having curved side walls 0, which taper or flareinwardly, so as to form a wedge-shaped socket which 'is of substantiallythe same width -throughout, but longest or of greatest depth at theouter end or mouth thereof. The buttend D of the helve corresponds inform to the socket, but, as usual, is made a little larger than thesame, and in applying the latter thereto the handle end of the helve isinserted through the month end of the socket and the butt-end thereofthen forcibly driven in place.

The socket is provided with head straps or loops E and F, formedintegrally therewith and adapted to receive the pick-blade G. Thepassage of the strap E is made somewhat larger than the passage of thestrap F and has the inner face of its outer wall h slightly beveled,while the said strap F is provided with a seat projection 2', whichcontracts its passage, and also has the inner face of its outer Wall jbeveled. The inner edge of the pick-blade is straight, asusual,throughout the greater portion of its length, while the centralportion only of its outer face is straight, thuscausing the formation ofshoulders k and k.

The pick is applied to the head by inserting the narrow point end Gthereof first through the strap E and then through the strap F until itswide portion adjacent to the shoulder 70 enters the latter and saidshoulder engages the beveled face of the wall j, when the blade will befirmly held from movement in one direction. A thumb-screw L, working inan opening in the inner Wall of the strap E, is provided to hold theblade firmly against movement in the reverse direction, and when theparts'are positioned in the manner described and the thumb-screw forcedinward the shoulder 70 of thevblade will be caused to bind against theinner face of thewall It. By this construction it will be seen that thepick-blade will be firmly retained in position by means of a singlefastening device carried by one of the straps and that intermediatewedges or keys or similar fastenings, which are unreliable and apt tobecome lost or misplaced, are dispensed with, that the pick is securedand reinforced on opposite sides of its center, that the straps do notobstruct the mouth of the socket-piece, and hence the handle may beconveniently applied in the manner heretofore described,

and that the pick when in position prevents the butt-end of the handlefrom working outwardly and the socket from working inwardly and becomingloose.

VVhen the pick-blade is broken or dulled and it is desired to remove thesame, this may be conveniently accomplished by simply slacking thethumb-screw 1L and then tapping the point end G of the blade to releaseit from engagement with the strap F, when it may be quickly detached.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it

A pick of the character described, com prising a tapering ellipticalsocket provided with straps or loops projecting outwardly beyond themouth thereof, each strap having a flaring passage formed by bevelingthe inner face of its outer wall and one of said straps having its innerWall extended to form a seat or projection which contracts its passagewith respect to the passage of the other strap, a pick-blade adapted tobe inserted and withdrawn through the larger passage of the latter strapand provided with shoulders to abut against the said beveled outer Wallsof the straps, a set-screw working in a threaded opening in the innerWall of the larger strap and impinging against the blade to force thesame against the beveled outer wall of said strap, and a handle having aWedge-shaped buttinclosed in the socket and terminating in rear of theblade, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES BENNETT LUCAS.

Vitnesses:

J. H. PATTEE, H. B. PURDY.

